Dwarfed in size by nearby New River Gorge National River, Babcock State Park is often overlooked by visitors to southern West Virginia. Yet the park, most famous for its photogenic grist mill, offers several excellent hiking options. While the best lie elsewhere in the park, the short Island in the Sky Trail is easily accessible …
Continue reading Island in the Sky Trail (Babcock State Park, WV)
Live and Let Hike hit its stride in 2016, nearly tripling the number of visitors and page views seen in 2015. I also passed a new milestone—my 200th blog post—and greatly expanded the geographic breadth and depth of hike descriptions, including posts from Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, DC, and Quebec. Taking a break …
In addition to sporting picturesque cascades, majestic views, and a serene lake, Babcock State Park in south-central West Virginia also contains a small natural arch, a rarity in the area. Here weathering in the Nuttall Sandstone gives way to a shady and moss-covered span that is both easy to climb and pass through. The hike …
Continue reading Natural Arch Trail (Babcock State Park, WV)
It seems like every state park in America has a man-made reservoir, and Babcock State Park in south-central West Virginia is no exception. After checking out the area’s historic grist mill, beautiful waterfalls, and sweeping views, finish off your day with an easy-to-moderate loop hike around Boley Lake, stocked with trout between February and May …
Continue reading Lake View Trail Loop (Babcock State Park, WV)
Especially in the spring, when water levels are particularly high, the Skyline Trail – Narrow Gauge Trail Loop in Babcock State Park is simply spectacular. This 4,127-acre park in south-central West Virginia, often dwarfed by its larger and better-known neighbor, offers greater solitude and intimacy than New River Gorge National River. What the Skyline Trail …
Continue reading Skyline Trail – Narrow Gauge Trail Loop (Babcock State Park, WV)
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